Deceptions
by EmonyJade
Summary: Not everything is exactly as it seems. Not all people are exactly as they seem, either. The Cap finds this out the hard way.
1. Chapter 1

Greetings all. For the first time in history, I've started a new story that is actually finished! Which means, there will be only brief delays between chapters, since I don't have to write them as I go. Woo Hoo. There's a first time for anything.

Anyway, this is a Captain America/OC story, but all the Avengers are included. I might have tweaked the personalities a bit for my own selfish reasons, but this is my story. I can do what I want. (If you were here, you'd see me sticking my tongue out at the people who want to criticize the direction of my story.) Don't get me wrong, I like creative criticism, as long as it's constructive.

On with the show...

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**Cap A. POV**

I was not a social butterfly, as Natasha put it, and had little to no interest in becoming one.

It had been about a year since Loki lead the alien army against us. It still amazes me that the six of us managed to successfully defend the city, capture Loki and reacquired the Tesseract. True, the city took one hell of a beating and many hundreds of people were injured or killed, but it could have been so much worse.

The leaders of the city tried for months to blame the Avengers for all the damage and even went so far as to try to sue us for the cost of the destruction. Fortunately, the american citizens who lived in New York were squarely on our side and it was an election year.

About a month after the battle, the Avengers still in the area officially moved into Stark tower. Tony had fixed it up so we each had our own floor. A few months later, Dr. Banner and Thor rejoined us.

Bruce had originally left to go back into his self enforced solitude, but ultimately ended up returning only two months later. His experience with the team and the way the big guy had cooperated with all of us seemed to boost his confidence that he could someday learn to live with his alter ego, rather than try to push him back. I think the doctor missed being around people who cared about him and who would support him, no matter what. Even if that meant we had to talk down the Hulk once in a while.

Thor was gone for 8 months before returning to earth. He had spent most of that time trying to get the old Loki back. Unlike the rest of us, Thor didn't have a choice when it came to Loki. He was Thor's brother, in every way but blood and he had to give the wayward man a chance to come back to his family and his old life. Loki, however, was a changed man. I'm not saying that he could never change back, but after causing the evil that he inflicted on the earth, I seriously doubt if he'd ever revert to the boy Thor grew up with and loved.

After failing with Loki, Thor decided to return to us. Sure, we had won a battle, but now many more worlds knew about us. Many of which were far more powerful. Thor figured he'd do the most good by staying on earth to help defend it from whoever, or whatever came along. It would also give him a chance to be with Jane. Thor could almost be described as schoolgirl like when he spoke of her. Big, mighty god that we was, he could be such a softy.

Clint and Natasha moved in reluctantly. It wasn't that they didn't want to be around the rest of us, it was just neither of them had ever had a place they could call home. They usually just stayed on the base. It was new for them to have a place of their own with people they had begun to call family, people they actually trusted with their lives. Ideas such as trust and family were foreign to them and being a part of the Avengers gave both of them a sense of belonging they never had before with anyone but each other. They were actually a pleasure to have around, once you broke through the tough, master assassin exterior. Clint was a very laid back person and Natasha was far more feminine and nurturing than she allowed the world to see.

We worked as a team and lived as a family and somehow it worked, after some adjustment from everyone. There was a harmony between all of us that no one could have guessed at.

I hated to say it, but I was the one having the hardest time adjusting. Not so much to living in the tower with the team, I was good with that, I just never left the tower. Ever. We'd go on missions and I could command the situation and get the job done, but when it came to simple tasks involving normal, everyday interaction with other people, my mind would go into a panic. This world was not the one I came from and my mind was just not allowing me to adjust to it and join it on any personal level. I didn't even have to leave to go to the gym anymore, since the gym in Stark tower was more than sufficient for my needs. Why I could command soldiers and agents of SHIELD with perfect ease, but couldn't interact with the woman ringing up my purchases at a drugstore, was beyond me.

I was perfectly happy spending my down time at the tower. The others might have allowed me to do so without really noticing that I never went outside, if it hadn't been for Clint. Hawkeye sees everything. He's more observant than anyone I had ever met. He knows everything that goes on around him, even if it looks like he's not paying attention. It was like he had eyes on the back of his head. He noticed my inactivity, but didn't seem to do anything about it, or so it seemed.

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It was almost 9 at night and I sat in the entertainment room of the tower, reading. I was alone, enjoying the quiet, when Natasha came in. She took a pillow, placed it on my lap then sprawled out on the couch next to me with her head on the pillow. This, in and of itself, was not unusual. Natasha often used whoever was sitting on the couch as a pillow. The part of this situation that was off was that she didn't snap on the TV. She just laid on her back and looked up at me, smiling.

I sighed. "Something I can do for you?" I asked, putting my book down, resting my left arm on the back of the couch. I had a bad feeling about this.

"Clint recently informed me that you haven't left the tower for anything but missions for almost a month."

I sighed again, pressing the bridge of my nose between my fingers. "Living with him is like living under 24 hour surveillance." I grumbled. "Would you believe me if I told you that he was lying?"

Natasha scoffed. "One, Clint only lies about things to gain an edge, which means there is no reason for him to lie about you. Two, he doesn't lie to me and if he did, I'd know it. Three, you don't lie. It's against your nature and your character. It's something I admire about you."

I couldn't help but smile at my friend. "OK, I admit it, I try to avoid leaving the tower for personal reasons. I don't know, I just don't feel like I fit in."

"Come on, Steve, it's got to be more than that. Thor doesn't have a problem getting out there and he's not even from this planet. Even Bruce gets out once in awhile and he has a legitimate fear of turning into the big guy. You are a caring, friendly, attractive man. Out of time or not, you fit right in with the people of this city."

I took my hand that was resting on the back of the couch, placing it over Natasha's, where it was resting on her stomach.

"I guess I still have some leftover insecurities from when I was a young man and 'this' hadn't happened yet." I motioned my other hand over myself, to indicate my new physical form. Natasha nodded.

"The procedure didn't make you into a new person, Steve, not really. It just made your body match the person you already had inside you. You are a strong, confident person on the battlefield. You just need to convince yourself that you can be that strong, confident person outside of the battlefield too." She took her free hand and placed it on top of the one resting on her stomach. She squeezed my hand reassuringly. "Take it slowly. Instead of making coffee at the asscrack of dawn when you get out of bed in the morning, walk down to that little cafe on the corner and get coffee. You don't have to stay, just get coffee and leave. Maybe, in a week or two, you can take a book down there and drink the coffee down there. Watch people, make small talk with the poor soul who is forced to get up that early in the morning, so idiots like you, who choose to be up at the asscrack of dawn, can have their coffee."

I had to chuckle. You had to love Natasha's bluntness. It was true, I was always the first one up, usually rising before 6AM. The only time someone was up with me was when Tony or Bruce had yet to go to bed because they were working on something that made them lose track of time or someone was up preparing for or getting back from an independent mission.

"Fine." I said, giving in. "Tomorrow morning when I get up, at the asscrack of dawn as you so colorfully put it, I will go have coffee out."

"Do you want me to come with you?" She offered.

This wasn't just some idle offer, either. I knew for a fact that Natasha didn't like getting up anytime before 7:30 or 8 in the morning on her days off. The fact that she was offering to get up with me and help me with my insecurities spoke volumes about her character and just how much she cared about me.

"Thanks for the offer, but I think this is something I need to do on my own."

She settled in and closed her eyes, looking very self-satisfied. "Well, I'm here if you need me."

I smiled at her, even though she couldn't see it. "Thanks." I picked my book up and continued to read. Natasha fell asleep, still holding my hand.

To Be Continued…

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There it is, chapter 1. What do you think? Feel free to let me know. I'll post another chapter in a day or two. Sooner, if I get a good response to chapter one.

Thanks for reading my ramblings…


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two is up. Enjoy. Thanks for reading.

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**Cap A. POV**

The next morning, I woke up at 5:30 AM with slight chest pains and difficulty breathing. I couldn't wrap my brain around why just the thought of going out was causing me to have a panic attack. I was frickin Captain America, for crying out loud. I had helped fight off Armies of humans and aliens, stood toe to toe with creatures that would cause others to wake-up screaming at night and here I was, panicking over going down the block for coffee. I knew we all had our fears, but this was just pathetic.

I got out of bed, took a long shower, got dressed in some of the 'modern' attire that Natasha had helped me buy and left the tower. It was just over a block and a half to the cafe and surprisingly, I felt good as I walked there. I used to make a habit of jogging outside, but after New York, I was much too recognizable and my outings usually drew more attention than I was comfortable with. I had gotten use to the treadmill at Stark tower.

Once I was in motion, however, I found my anxiety just evaporated. It was only when I allowed my brain to over think that I started to worry. I'd really have to work on not thinking so much.

I was in an excellent mood when I walked through the door of the cafe. It was relatively empty. There was a young man working on a laptop computer in the corner, slowly sipping his coffee and a middle aged woman reading a newspaper by the door. The place was quiet and smelled wonderful. I was going to have to thank Natasha for convincing me to do this.

While I waited for my coffee to be poured, I was regretting not bring my morning paper. This would have been a very nice place to sit and enjoy it. The man behind the counter recognized me, but didn't make a fuss about it. He merely told me he was a fan, thanked me for my service during the invasion and moved on. I signed an autograph for his son, thanked him for the coffee and turning to leave. I bumped into a young woman on my way out.

"Excuse me." I said politely.

"Not a problem, no harm done." She replied as I exited.

Well, that wasn't so bad, I said to myself as I walked home. I got a nice walk, got my coffee and even interacted with a random person.

It wasn't quite 7AM when I got back to the tower. I went into the kitchen to find Natasha sitting at the table in her pajamas, sipping a cup of tea and reading the entertainment section of the paper. Clint sat next to her, reading the cartoon page. He looked a bit disheveled, still wearing his mission gear. His bow and quiver full of arrows were at the end of the table.

"Wow, just getting back from your mission?" I asked the very tired looking man.

"Yeah, I was going to go right up to my floor, but I noticed Natasha down here being all perky and bright eyed, so I figured I'd take a few minutes to bother her."

Natasha rolled her eyes. "Well, you can consider me sufficiently bothered. You may go to bed now."

Clint put the paper he was reading down and jumped up from the table, as if he had been waiting for her permission to leave. "Well, it's about time. I was wondering when you'd get fed up with me enough to tell me to leave." He picked up his weapons and headed to the elevator. "Night."

He was on the elevator and gone before we could reply. I chuckled to myself. Natasha and Clint acted like siblings most of the time. They harassed and picked at each other, but they also had each other's backs and trusted each other more than anyone else. Sometimes I wondered if there had ever been anything between them, romantically speaking. I doubted it, but sometimes something would pass between them when they thought no one was looking and it made ya wonder. I never had the balls to ask. Even I wasn't that brave.

I sat down at the table with Natasha, picking up the sports section.

"So, how'd it go?" She asked, taking a slow sip of tea and putting down her paper, so I could have her full attention.

"It was good." I replied happily. "You were absolutely right. I have no idea why I was acting so pathetic about the whole thing. I might just make it a part of my normal routine.

"That's great." She said, getting up from the table. She tossed her tea bag into the garbage and placed her cup in the dishwasher. "Now I'm going back to bed. I just wanted to make sure everything went alright with you. I was having a hard time sleeping in with it on my mind." She leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. "I'll talk to ya in a few hours."

Before the elevator door closed, I called back to her. "Natasha?"

She held her hand between the doors.

"Thanks." I said. She simply smiled at me as she allowed the doors to close.

If the rest of the world knew just how sweet the Black Widow could be, they wouldn't fear her as much.

That is until she kicked their asses.

To Be Continued…


	3. Chapter 3

Woo Hoo! Chapter 3. Thanks for reading….

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**Cap. A POV**

The next morning, I did a repeat of the morning before.

When I got to the cafe, I noticed that the same people were there. The same guy was in the corner, working on his laptop and the same woman was sitting by the door. The man I ordered my coffee from was also the same.

We made idle chit chat while he made my coffee and I gave him a slight wave as I turned to leave. On my way out the door, I ran into someone. Before I could apologize, I realized it was the same young woman from yesterday.

"Well, either you're stalking me or you're just clumsy." She said, jokingly.

"I'm so sorry. I don't normally go about knocking into people." I said, taking a good look at the young lady. She had to be in her early twenties, with long red hair and bright green eyes. She was shorter than I was, probably only standing around five foot six and wore jeans and a dark green T-shirt covered by a light gray hoodie. She had an infectious smile.

"It's OK, big guy. There is a lot of you, it must be hard to maintain your personal space." She said, before walking past me and to the counter to order her drink. "Watch yourself. You got someone else coming in." She joked. "I'd hate for you to plow her over."

I smiled at her, nodded my head and held the door for the older woman who was coming in the cafe. She thanked me, then I headed out, taking one last look at the young woman, who now had her back to me. I laughed at myself as I walked home. It had been a very long time, since before I was frozen, that I actually looked at a woman I found attractive.

Maybe this getting out wasn't so bad after all. I'd just have to watch my step.

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The next morning, I once again went down to the little cafe. I opened the door and was bumped into by someone. Whoever it was, they dropped a magazine. I bent to pick it up and when I handed it back, I was looking into the green eyes of the young woman I had bumped into twice before.

"I'm sorr.." She was about to say, until she realized who she was talking to. She laughed and showed me her infectious smile again.

"Can't blame me this time." I said. "You bumped into me."

"That's true. Unless you really are stalking me and you're just late today." She was blushing and kinda biting her lip.

The action made my breath hitch just a tad. "Well, it's possible you're stalking me and you're just early today." I joked. We were still in the doorway, but fortunately there was no one around to interrupt our moment.

The smile never left her face. "That is true. My name is Alex." She said, offering me her hand.

"I'm Steve. It's nice to meet you." I was pretty sure I was smiling like an idiot as we shook hands, but she didn't seem to mind.

"I'd ask if you'd like to sit and have coffee with me, but I'm kinda in a hurry today." She said, looking down at the ground. "But maybe you can bump into me tomorrow. Usual time?"

"I think I can do that. We'll see." I replied.

"Tomorrow, then." She said, smiling in my direction one last time, then headed down the street in the opposite direction I had come from. She looked back one time, before committing to her direction.

"Hmm." I said to myself as I went into the cafe for my coffee, still smiling like an idiot.

To Be Continued….


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 is up. Thanks for reading and special thanks to those taking the time to review.

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**Cap. A POV**

I was welcomed by a minor argument when I woke up the next morning.

Tony and Bruce were in the entertainment room attached to the kitchen, talking loudly about something I couldn't follow. It really was amazing how intelligent those two were. Sometimes what they said didn't even sound like english. Both men looked rather haggard, so I was betting they had yet to get to bed.

"Good morning guys." I said brightly. I was in a very good mood. It had nothing to do with a certain redhead. Nope, nothing at all.

"Wow, is it morning already?" Tony asked, looking at his watch.

I sighed, shaking my head. What was I going to do with him. "That's what it usually means when the sun comes up."

"Oh, ha ha." Tony replied, getting up from his chair and stretching. "What are you doing up so early? And all bright-eyed, I might add."

"I'm always up at this time, you know that." I said, grabbing my coat from where I had left it yesterday morning. "I happen to like mornings. It's like wasting the day if you sleep past nine. I'm off to get coffee. You two should get to bed. You look like hell."

I headed to the elevator. I saw Bruce nod, agreeing with my statement. Tony said something I couldn't quite make out, but I was sure was some kind of insult. It didn't really matter. I had somewhere to be.

Alex wasn't there when I got my coffee, but when I turned to go, she was sitting at one of the tables by the wall. She looked up and smiled at me. I joined her at the table, placing my coffee down.

"Figured I'd sit and wait to get your attention. Safer for the both of us, since we seem to have a problem when it comes to walking when we are near each other." She joked.

"Probably a good idea. Can I get you your coffee?" I asked.

"Just a small coffee with cream. Thanks." She said, smiling up at me.

I returned to the counter and ordered her coffee. The man behind the counter gave me a knowing look, which wasn't surprising since he had witness our interactions over the last couple of days. Once I had paid for the drink, I returned to the table, placing the drink in front of her.

"Thanks. How much do I owe you?" She asked, reaching for her purse.

I sat down at the table, holding my hand up. "It's on me. Consider it an apology for running into you twice."

"Thank you. You must be new to the area." She said, taking a sip of her coffee. "I've been coming here every morning for four months now and this is the first I've seen of you. I'm sure I would have noticed you before you bumped into me."

"Well, I'm not really new. Let's just say I've recently started a new routine in the mornings."

"It must not be for exercise. You look like you have a far more rigorous workout than just simple walking, if you don't mind me saying so."

"No, I do this as more of a way of getting out of the house. I was informed by a couple of my housemates that I wasn't getting out enough. This has kept them quiet and has been a very rewarding experience for me, so far." I took a sip of my coffee and leaned back in my chair, enjoying the conversation. If Alex recognized me as Captain America, she wasn't letting on about it.

"I walk here every day because I have a horribly strong addiction to caffeine" She shrugged.

"Half the battle is admitting you have a problem, or so they say." I joked with her. She rewarded me with a laugh.

"True, but the other half of the battle is wanting to change, which I don't, so I guess I'm just doomed to live a gloriously caffeinated life. It's not like I have any other bad habits. I don't drink considerably, I don't smoke, I don't do illegal drugs. This is my only vice."

We talked for another hour, the conversation flowing easily. We parted ways with an informal verbal commitment to bump into each other the next morning. Going out to get coffee was turning out to be one of the best ideas Natasha has ever had.

To Be Continued…


	5. Chapter 5

New Chapter, new POV. Hope you are enjoying and thanks to all who read.

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**Natasha POV**

I was awake, but not quite functional as I wandered down to the kitchen. It was 7AM, early for me, but necessary, since I was due in a meeting around noon. It would take me most of the morning to psyche myself up for it, since it was a team status meeting with the SHEILD psychologist. Fury had made monthly one on one team evaluations mandatory since the team started living together. I found them tedious.

The kitchen was empty except for Bruce, who was drinking a cup of coffee while reading what looked like laboratory data. He wasn't totally engrossed, though, since he looked up at me and smiled as I entered. If he had been working on something, an elephant could have strolled by and he wouldn't have noticed.

"You're up early. Mission?" He asked, taking a sip of his coffee and putting down the papers he had been holding.

"I wish. Psyche evaluation. I'd much rather be out in the field knocking some heads. Discussing my mood with a head doctor ranks right up there with getting interrogated. Interrogations, however, can be fun on occasion. Appointments with the head doctor never are." I made my cup of tea and plopped down in the seat across from him.

Bruce chuckled. "You have a very unique perspective." He took his glasses off and looked at me. "Speaking of perspectives, is it just me or is Steve acting kind of off lately. I was down here when he left around six and he seemed extremely happy. Don't get me wrong, it's good he's happy. It just seems odd to me."

"The Cap has started a new morning coffee regimen. He's been going out for his morning coffee for a month now. He must really be enjoying his time at the cafe."

Bruce shook his head. "It's more than that. There was something about the way he acted before he left that reminded me of Tony right before he goes out with Pepper."

"Really?" I took a sip of tea, considering Bruce's concerns. "Maybe he met someone at the cafe. I guess it's possible. Steve is, after all, a very attractive man."

Bruce got up, stretching. "Well, whatever the reason, I'm glad he's adjusting. Clint will be happy. He was the one who noted that Steve wasn't getting out. I'm off to the lab. Have fun at your evaluation."

He waved and I waved back, my mind still thinking about our conversation. Could Steve had met someone during his mornings out? I wasn't the gossipy type, but dammit, I was curious. I made a mental note to talk with Clint when he got up. If anyone knew for sure what was making our dear Captain so happy, it would be him. If it was something worth noticing, Hawkeye noticed it.

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To Be Continued...


	6. Chapter 6

Here's another chapter for you. Enjoy.

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**Cap. A POV**

I was feeling kind of down as I walked the now familiar path to the cafe. The team was shipping out on a week-long mission this afternoon, so today was the last morning I'd be drinking my coffee with Alex for at least a full week, maybe longer.

I had spent the better part of the last month and a half sharing my mornings with Alex. We talked about anything and everything, but I always kept the conversation vague as it pertained to my chosen career. I was convinced she didn't know who I was and I wanted to keep it that way, at least for now. I told her I did strategic planning for a large corporation. It was technically the trust.

Oddly enough, what she did for a living was kept just as vague. She told me she was a student, studying alternative medicine and left it at that. I didn't pry any further, not wanting an interest in her work to spark an interest in my work. The plan seemed to work out well.

When I got to the cafe, Alex was already there. She had two cups of coffee in her hands and she was just sitting down at our usual table. We had gotten into the habit of sitting at the same table every day, the first person there buying the coffee. I usually made it there first, wanting to be gentlemanly and buy the drinks, but occasionally, she managed to beat me.

It was scary how much I looked forward to my mornings.

"Good morning. You're here early." I greeted Alex, taking a seat across from her.

She smiled at me. "Yeah, I woke up early today. Not sure why. I guess it's just one of those rare times when I wake up on my own, fully refreshed and ready for the day. I've begun to find I'm looking forward to my mornings more these days."

"Well, I hope I've aided in making your mornings more pleasant." I wasn't much of a flirt, but Alex seemed to bring it out in me naturally.

"Honestly, I think you're the only reason I am now a morning person. The next few days are going to suck."

She pouted and I couldn't help but laugh at her bluntness. This made her smile.

"Unfortunately, as they say, duty calls." I replied.

She shrugged. "That's alright. I managed to survive for years without you being a part of my mornings. I'm sure I'll live. Don't get me wrong, It's going to be painful getting up for the next few days, but I'll live."

We sat and chatted for another hour and a half, but all too soon, the moment soon came for us to part ways.

"Well, I should really be off. I actually have stuff to do today and I can't delay it forever." Alex said, starting to collect her purse. She reached into it, pulling out a piece of paper and handed it to me. "Here's my number. Give me a call when you get back into town."

She stood up, but paused and leaned in closer to me. "And by the way, I think two friends of yours are sitting behind you In the far corner. Don't look. They kept sneaking peaks at us off and on. I might be wrong, but I bet I'm not. Let them know they should really leave the spy work to the experts."

She winked, kissed me on the cheek, then left the cafe.

I waited a minute or two, then stood and turned around. True enough, in the far corner, at a small table, sat Natasha and Clint. They looked like they fit in with the normal morning crowd, but obviously they were doing something to tip Alex off. It seemed odd, for two trained spies, to be made so easily. I sighed and approached them, taking a seat at one of the two empty chairs at their table.

"Why are you two here?" I asked, looking first at Clint, then Natasha.

"You saw us come in?" Natasha asked, sounding disappointed. Obviously, she had believed their entrance had been undetected by me, which it had.

"No, my friend pointed you guys out when she left. She noticed you watching us. She wanted me to tell you to leave the spy work to the experts." I grinned at their reactions.

"She made us?" Clint asked, stunned. "How is that possible? We were both in full undercover mode and everything."

I chuckled. "I don't know, man. Obviously something you two were doing tipped her off. I probably would have left without even noticing you were here if she hadn't pointed you out."

"Color me impressed. I like this woman already." Natasha added. "But moving on to the important stuff. Who is your friend? When did you meet?" She had a twinkle in her eye and was acting very girly. Clint rolled his eyes. Off and on Natasha liked to point out certain women to me and hint they would go out with me, if asked, but thankfully, her involvement went no further than that.

"Great, girl talk. If I had known there would be girl talk, I would have stayed in bed." Clint grumbled playfully.

"Oh, hush you." Natasha scolded Clint, then turned back to me. Obviously, she wanted answers and would not be satisfied until she got them.

I sighed, reasoning it was better to tell her everything now, preventing a full SHIELD investigation and interrogation later. She could be ruthless when trying to learn information she desperately wanted to know, be it from friend or foe.

"Her name is Alex. I bumped into her the first day I started coming here for coffee. I also bumped into her the second day. On the third day, she bumped into me. We've been drinking our coffee together ever since."

"Oh my god, you have a girlfriend!" Natasha squealed softly, so as not to draw too much attention to us. I didn't even know she was capable of making such a sound. I would have laughed, if the sound hadn't been directed towards me.

I could tell I was blushing. I did my best not to smile. "She's not my girlfriend, she's just a friend I have coffee with."

Natasha crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back in her chair.

"Did she, or did she not just give you her phone number?"

"She did, but that is only so I can call her when I get back into town next week. I told her I was going on a business trip. She's not my girlfriend."

A giant smile formed on Natasha's face. It was rare to see her smile so broadly. "Maybe not yet, but she wants to be. A woman doesn't give out her number to someone if she's not interested. Trust me. I may not be a typical female, but I do know these things."

Clint punched my shoulder not too gently. "Way to go, Cap! She's hot. And a redhead too. Redheads are feisty.".

Natasha glared at him.

Clint just smiled. "See, feisty."

I had to laugh. These two could start a comedy act when they retired from the spy business.

We stayed only a few more minutes, then left together to return to the tower to get ready for our mission. On the walk back, I couldn't help thinking about the conversation we had about Alex and the phone number currently in my pocket. Did Alex really want a relationship with me over and beyond just morning coffee buddies? Did I want the same thing? More importantly, was there room for that kind of personal relationship in my superhero lifestyle?

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To Be Continued...


	7. Chapter 7

Here's another chapter for your reading pleasure. Enjoy. Thanks for reading.

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**Cap. A POV**

It had taken a week and a half, but our mission had been a success. The entire team came back with relatively few injuries and, just as we did in the battle against the alien army in New York, we worked almost flawlessly as a team.

We had returned to the tower an hour ago and I had immediately showered and shaved and was currently sitting at my desk, looking at my cell phone and the piece of paper with Alex's number on it.

It was only 7PM, so I still had plenty of time to call her and make plans to meet her tomorrow morning for coffee, but I was nervous. I was successful in blocking out my personal insecurities while on the mission, but now that I was home, they seemed to come flooding back to me in a rush.

The big question was, what did I have to be nervous about? I was just calling to let her know I was back. It wasn't like I was calling to ask her out, or anything of that nature.

I reached out and entered her number into my contacts, then hit call. I waited two rings before the phone was answered.

"Hello?" came a familiar voice.

"Alex?, it's Steve." I was smiling like a fool again. It made me wonder if she could tell from my voice.

"Hey, you're home. It must have been one hell of a business trip. You've been gone the better part of two weeks."

"Yes, it was a long week and a half, but it was a successful trip. Definitely worth the time. How are you?"

"Well enough. My mornings have been disappointing, but other than that, things are good."

"Good, I'm glad. So, obviously, I'm back home. Will you be available for coffee tomorrow morning?"

"I will indeed. Looking forward to it."

"Well then, I'll talk to you tomorrow." I said, trying to close out the conversation. I was not much for talking on the phone. If things had the possibility of progressing in our relationship, I wanted them to progress face to face, not with technology.

"Talk to you tomorrow, then."

"Tomorrow." I agreed. We hung up and I leaned back in my chair, replacing my phone on the desk. I still had the goofy grin on my face.

I heard a knock on my bedroom door and got up to find Natasha, also freshly showered, standing on the other side. Though we all lived on our own floors, most of them consisted of a public half and a more private half. This made it possible for us to visit each other on our respective floors without invading privacy.

"So, did you call her?"

I chuckled, shaking my head in slight disbelief and opened my door fully for her to come in. "Really? We just get back from a mission and you have nothing else on your mind and nothing better to do then make sure I call Alex?"

She shrugged, crossing past me to lean against my desk. I returned to my seat and waited. She obviously had something to say.

"I care about you and I like to see you happy. And you've been spectacularly happy since you met Alex. Even Bruce noticed and you know how he can be when he's got science on the brain, which is most of the time. In fact, he was the one who pointed it out to me and prompted us to follow you to the cafe." She took my hands, giving them a gentle squeeze. "You deserve to be happy, Steve. You are allowed to have a life outside of SHIELD and this team. Just look at Tony with Pepper or even Thor with Jane. It might be difficult, but could be worth it."

"I like Alex, but I just don't know, Nat." The stupid grin returned to my face.

Natasha's eyes widened.

"Fine, I really like Alex. Calling her was the first thing I did once I was cleaned up from the mission. I don't know. We live very dangerous and secretive lives. Pepper and Jane both knew what they were getting into. This poor woman doesn't even know who I am. She thinks I'm some kind of businessman."

Natasha took back her hands, placing them on my shoulders. "I'm not saying you have to marry the girl. Just get to know her. Bring her into your life and let her decide if she can handle who you are. You need a friend outside of the team. And who knows, maybe she can help you out in certain ways. I'm sure you have to be...how do I say it delicately...pent up, if you take my meaning."

I sighed, leaning my head against the back of my chair. "You had to go there, didn't you?"

She took a few steps back, returning to leaning against the desk. She crossed her arms over her chest. "I think it needed to be said. Just think about it, that's all I ask." She gave me a kiss on the cheek and left the room, closing my door behind her.

I hated to say it, but Natasha had a point. As much as I hated to endanger someone by bringing them into the Avengers fold, I longed to get to know Alex better. It was true, the woman made me happy. For the first time, I stopped feeling like a man out of time. I sighed again, turning out my bedroom light and crawled into bed, suddenly exhausted. It was early to go the bed, but I needed time to think and figured if it looked like I was asleep, I wouldn't have anymore surprise visitors.

I was up thinking for several hours. I think the only reason I finally fell asleep was from pure exhaustion.

* * *

To Be Continued...


	8. Chapter 8

Next chapter up. Hope you enjoy.

* * *

**Cap. A POV**

The next morning, Alex and I managed to arrive at the cafe at exactly the same time. Alex greeted me with a hug before we even got in the door.

"Welcome back, stranger. Have a nice trip?" She asked as we entered the cafe. I noted that she smelled nice, even though I couldn't place the scent. I guess it was just further confirmation I really liked this girl.

"It was nice for what it was. Business trips can only be just so nice." We approached the counter and stood behind another customer waiting to place an order. "Why don't you go grab the table while I get the coffee?"

Alex nodded, heading to our usual table. As I waited for my turn to order, I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. I came to a decision the previous night, after several hours of thinking and arguing with myself, that I would ask Alex out to dinner tonight. What harm could it do to get to know her on a more personal level. I didn't have to tell her about who I was right away. If it felt right, I'd tell her and if this whole experiment in dating didn't work out, hopefully we could still remain friends. It was a risk, but it was one I decided I was willing to take.

I got our coffees and joined Alex at the table. She hadn't stopped smiling since we entered the cafe and at the moment, I was finding it hard to think clearly when she smiled at me.

"Why are you all smiles?" I asked, feeling slightly hypocritical for asking, since I'm sure I was smiling almost as much as she was.

Alex blushed almost as red as her hair. "I just really missed your company, I guess."

"Well, that answer is a perfect segue into my next question. Would you like to go out to dinner with me tonight?"

"I'd love to." she replied, beaming at me. "Now, be honest with me. Was I being completely obvious and pathetic by giving you my number the way I did?"

I laughed. "Not at all. In fact, my female housemate had to point it out to me that normally a woman only gives her number out to men she's genuinely interested in. She was one of the two you pointed out to me before I left. I honestly thought you were giving me your number only so you wouldn't buy two coffees if my trip took longer than a week."

Alex laughed with me. "You'll have to thank her for interpreting for me. How about I meet you here around 6? If things go well, maybe you can pick me from my apartment next time."

This idea made my smile increase. "In that case, do you mind if I pick the restaurant? I honestly don't know what's good around here, but I have a housemate who I trust to recommend a place."

Alex shrugged. " Sounds like a plan to me. I don't know much about the restaurants around here either. I really don't go out much. I get most of my social interaction from my classes and you. It would be great to try someplace new, but has been recommended."

"Perfect."

We talked for a while longer, then parted ways with the promise to meet up at the cafe again around 6.

* * *

XX

Alex stood outside the front door of her apartment. She fumbled with her keys slightly, using the delay to make sure she hadn't been followed.

Once inside, she locked the door, placing her keys and purse on a side table. She took off her shoes, then padded gently into her living room, where she took a green orb, about the size of a small apple, off of a stand on the bookshelf. She placed the orb on the coffee table. It didn't roll around at all, simply lying unmoving where she placed it.

She sat down on the floor, legs folded under her, and closed her eyes.

Moments later, when she opened her eyes, her apartment had been replaced by a large open field of green grass and a clear, star filled sky.

Alex got to her feet and approached a shadowy figure standing alone by a still pond.

"You're late. I was beginning to worry." The figure stated in an obviously male voice.

"Don't you trust me?"

The figured chuckled. "Of course I do. I am only concerned for your welfare. You have been gone a long time. Far longer than anticipated. It sometimes makes me wonder if your mission is clear."

Alex scoffed. "You know full well I can only track the device when it's used. It hasn't been used for over a month. I am monitoring for it constantly, regardless of my daily activities. I've already tracked it to New York. One, maybe two more activations and I'll have it. I assure you, my mission is my primary focus, as always."

"Do not get defensive, my dear. I appreciate you volunteering for this mission, we all do, but I just have to wonder if you are using this mission to avoid..."

"Please don't say it. It's true, I did kinda use this mission to run away at first, and I am still using it to help put off the inevitable, but I am not dragging my feet on finding the device. I promise. I will return soon. The device is too interesting to be left inactive for long."

"I trust you, Alexiya, and I understand why you are not over eager to return, but you are like a daughter to me and I will always worry about you."

Alex smiled up at the figure. "You are family to me, as well."

"I have taken enough of your time. Take care of yourself and I'll speak with you again in a month. With any luck, maybe sooner."

"I'll try to check in on time next time. I don't mean to make you worry."

The figure nodded, then the green field and starry night faded away and Alex found herself back in her apartment. With a sigh, she got up off the floor, rolling the orb around in her palm for a few seconds before replacing it back on its shelf. She then headed up to shower and continue with her day.

She had a date to get ready for.

* * *

To Be Continued...


	9. Chapter 9

Next chapter is up. Sorry about the delay. Been Busy.

* * *

**Cap. A POV**

I got back to the tower at 1AM, tired, but exhilarated from my date.

The night had gone perfectly.

The restaurant Tony recommended had been excellent, not too fancy or pricy, but still nice enough for a first date. The conversation came effortlessly with not even one awkward moment. We danced and she even rewarded me with a kiss goodnight and a plan for a second date tomorrow night.

I was on cloud nine.

The elevator stopped on the kitchen level. I had planned to go right up to my floor, but I had left a book I wished to read before bed on the kitchen table. I expected the room to be empty, since at 1AM, everyone was usually either in bed, on a mission, or in a lab. To my surprise, all five members of the team were up, playing cards around the kitchen table.

"Is my having a date such a monumental event that you all had to wait up for me?" I asked, grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge and my book off the counter.

"Yes." Tony replied.

Natasha elbowed him in the ribs.

"No. Of course not. Originally, I was the only one waiting up." She explained.

"I couldn't sleep." Clint added. "I took a walk and came down here to watch some TV and I found Nat. Shortly after that, Thor came home."

Thor put his hands up in a submissive manner. "Hey, I didn't even know you were on a date until these two filled me in. When I got home, I wasn't tired, so I decided to hang out." Thor said, using the slang he had begun to learn since moving to earth full time.

"Tony and I were just coming in from the lab. We usually have our post lab time discussions in here, as you well know from walking in on them every so often." Bruce shrugged. "One thing led to another and we ended up all playing cards."

Tony sighed. "To think, the phrase 'one thing led to another' use to mean something far more enjoyable to me than cards with the team."

I took a seat at the table. So much for heading up to bed. I should have just left the book in the kitchen and gone straight to my floor.

"So, spill." Natasha said once I was settled.

"What is there to say. We ate, we talked, we danced. I escorted her home and she gave me a quick kiss goodnight. The end."

Natasha seemed not completely satisfied with my response. "The big question is, did you plan a second date?" She asked.

I smiled at her. "We're going to the movies tomorrow night. We're going to decide on the movie tomorrow morning over coffee."

Natasha was pleased with this response.

"You should be discussing the movie over coffee at her place tomorrow morning." Tony added casually, his comment being rewarded by a second elbow to the ribs by Natasha.

"Will you get your mind out of the gutter, Tony. Steve is not that kind of man."

"Thank You, Nat." I said, trying to hide my amusement.

"I'm just yanking his chain. Calm down spider lady." Tony replied, rubbing his side where Natasha's elbow had landed.

"Well, not that I don't like the running commentary on my love life, now that I'm starting to have one, but I'm off to bed. Feel free to talk about me after I leave." I got up and headed to the elevator. "Good night."

I heard a chorus of good nights as the elevator doors closed. I had to chuckle to myself. If only the world could see the Avengers now, socially just a bunch of gossipy, mother hens.

* * *

To Be Continued...


	10. Chapter 10

New chapter up. Thanks to all who are reading and reviewing.

* * *

**Cap A. POV**

I had been officially dating Alex for two weeks and things could not be better. We saw each other every morning at the cafe for coffee and in the evenings we had shared seven dinners, three movies and two long walks so far.

It was almost 7:30AM and I was sitting at the kitchen table in our common area, drinking coffee and reading the newspaper. I was alone and it was quiet. I looked up at the sound of the elevator and smiled at Natasha as she entered the room.

"Why are you here? Not that you can't be here, but you usually spend your mornings with Alex." She inquired, getting a cup of coffee and taking a seat next to me.

"Alex called me an hour ago. Apparently she has a field trip for one of her classes today that she completely forgot about, so she had to pass on coffee. She's gonna call later after she gets home."

"Field trip?" Natasha asked, confused. "Do college students go on field trips?"

"She's shadowing an acupuncturist, apparently. It's not literally a field trip."

Natasha nodded. "Well, that makes sense."

I watched as she sipped her coffee. Natasha very rarely drank coffee, usually opting for tea. She only drank coffee before a mission.

"You're drinking coffee. Mission?" I asked.

"Not technically. More like an investigation. A guy was found a few hours ago in an apartment a couple of miles from here. He had been attacked with some type of mystery weapon and left half dead with a black substance running out of his nose, eyes and ears. The folks at the hospital had him quarantined, but some creative shuffling of paperwork got him moved to a SHIELD facility. Banner is still working on analyzing the black substance, but he doesn't seem to think it's a contagion. I'm heading over to the scene with one of Tony's scanning contraptions to try and figure out what happened. At this point we can't rule out anything. The weapon described by the man didn't sound like any kind of weapon I've ever seen."

"Are they thinking alien?"

Natasha shrugged. "These days we really can't rule it out, which is a scary thought. Since you're not busy, care to join me?"

"Sure, not like I had much planned for today, anyway. Might as well do something constructive. I'd hate to see another new and powerful weapon out on the streets for anyone to get their hands on."

We finished our coffee, collected Tony's scanner and were off.

* * *

xxxx

* * *

Alex carefully forced the apartment door open and slipped quietly inside, doing her best to leave the police tape undisturbed. She had waited nearly two hours for the police to finish up and leave. She didn't know how much time she'd have until the next wave of investigators arrived, so she worked hastily.

Once the door was secured, she pulled a small red orb out of her pocket. This one was about a quarter of the size for the green one she used for communication. She placed it on the floor and took a few steps back. Moments later, a perfect holographic image of every person who had been in the room over the last 24 hours was displayed.

She snorted, waving her hands left and right, removing all the police, EMTs and other emergency personnel until only two images remained. One was standing, holding the device she had been looking for. The other was on the floor, obviously suffering the effects of the device.

Alex smiled, taking a good look at the standing man. She got closer to the image and took a deep breath, held it, then let it out slowly.

"Got ya." She said quietly, picking up the orb. The images disappeared and she placed the orb back in her pocket. "It won't be long now, my friend. Use it one more time. I dare you."

Suddenly, Alex heard footsteps approaching the apartment door. Quickly and silently, she opened the window, looked to make sure the coast was clear, then slipped out on to the fire escape. She shut the window and was gone.

* * *

xxxx

* * *

**Cap. A POV**

It only took ten minutes to get to the crime scene. The place was practically in our backyard.

Natasha ripped the police tape off the door to the apartment and opened the door.

"Well, the door has been forced, but there is no way of telling if it was from the police or the assailant." She commented. It really was amazing how her personality changed when she was working. Her soft, feminine side was now well hidden.

"Not much to the place." I added, looking around. It was just a small, undecorated apartment. Nothing really noteworthy about it at all. You couldn't even tell something criminal had happened here.

"Let's find out how much there is that we can't see." Natasha pulled out a small device, about the size of a cell phone. "According to Tony, this should pick up any unusual energy signatures."

She hit a button on the device and a light on its face turned red, then yellow, then finally green. The whole process took about two minutes. Natasha pulled out her cell phone, called a number and put the phone on speaker.

"Yes?" came Tony's voice.

"I did the scan. Sending you the data now."

There was a pause.

"Got it." Tony confirmed. "Bruce and I are looking at it now."

"It looks like we have two exotic energy signatures. That's interesting."

"One of them seems to have characteristics in common with the black substance from our now deceased victim." Bruce added.

"The victim died?" I asked.

"A few hours after we got to him, yes." Bruce confirmed. "They are not done with the autopsy, but it looks like he died from a every unusual form of anaphylactic shock. The black substance was actually the stuff he was allergic to. It's fascinating. As far as I can tell. Everyone, as in the entire human population, should be allergic to it."

"So, this is an alien weapon." I concluded.

"Looks like." Tony replied.

"Are we thinking Asgard?" Natasha asked.

"Maybe, but I tested Thor's profile against it and he's allergic to it too. I ran Loki's, just out of curiousity, same thing. They were slightly less allergic, but it would still kill them. Probably a bit slower, but they'd still be dead. I have no idea where this weapon came from."

"Maybe it's not technically a weapon. Think about it. Why build a weapon that takes 12 hours to kill a person. It doesn't make sense."

"It could be used for torture or interrogation." Natasha mused.

"Whatever its designed purpose, we need to find it before it's used to kill again. Bruce, Tony, can you guys find a way to track this thing? And possibly a way to treat someone infected by it?" I asked.

We could hear fast conversation on the line. "Give us a few hours, we'll see what we can come up with." Tony replied.

"Wait? What about the second energy signature?" Natasha ask. We were so interested in the first signature, we had almost completely forgotten about the second.

Bruce cleared his throat. " The second signature, as far as I can tell, has nothing to do with the first. They have nothing in common. It has nothing to do with the weapon. I'm going to have to take some time to analyze it more thoroughly. I can't say for sure that it's even alien. I've just never seen anything like it."

"One thing at a time. Work on the first signature. We'll have time to worry about the second one later." Natasha ordered.

"You got it, spider lady." Tony replied.

"Great. Cap and I are returning to the tower."

We hung up and returned to our car. Something was bothering me, though.

"What about the man who has the weapon? It's possible he just happened upon this device and accidentally exposed his associate to it."

Natasha sighed. "That would be a best case scenario. On the other hand, he might be a full blown terrorist, looking to use the weapon on a large scale."

"And this was just a test. A dry run." I added.

That was a scary thought. We needed to find this weapon and fast.

* * *

To Be Continued…

Tada...one more chapter down. Hope you enjoyed.


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